Lint screen



M. P. GOSNELL July 9, 1963 LINT SCREEN Filed May 26, 1961 INVENTOR.M/(HAiZ A oar/viz:

United States Patent assignor, by mesne Philadelphia, Pa,

This application relates to lint screens for combination washing anddrying machines.

It is usual to dry fabrics in such a machine by circulating hot air, aprocess in which lint is dislodged from the fabrics and entrained by thecirculating air. Lint screens have been used to filter the entrainedlint from the air.

The lint screens heretofore made and used have generally been workable,but have caused problems, for lint constituents tended gradually toaccumulate on such a screen, filling and clogging the screen aperturesand thus interfering with proper performance of the machine.

Thus far it has not been possible to remove the collected materialcompletely, except by arrangements which were cumbersome, undulyexpensive, unreliable, :or in need of more attendance and service thanis available, especially a in a home laundry.

adapted substantially to prevent undesirable accumulations of lintdeposits.

For this purpose the invention provides a perforated or foraminous,normally stationary disc, means for controllably moving said disc inaxial directions, and means for rotating it upon axial motion in one ofsaid directions. The disc is first axially moved into a stationary andlint screening position, which is maintained during a fabric dryingoperation in the washer-dryer. Thereafter and during a washing operationapplied to a new load of fabrics, the screen disc is axially moved intoa cleaning position wherein it is rotated in washing water, preferablyby power derived from the rotating fabrics drum of the machine. Therotation serves to clean the disc by removing previously interceptedlint from the screen, thus preparing the screen for a new and effectivebut screening operation, and the required cleaning of the screen isgreatly promoted and improved by certain added features, all of whichwill best be explained in the following description of a machineincorporating the invention.

FIGURE 1 is a general rear view of said machine. FIGURE 2 is anelevation; it is drawn on a slightly larger scale and partly insectional view taken approximately along line 2--2 in FIGURE 1. FIGURE 3is a detail side view drawn on a still larger scale and showing the lintscreen apparatus in generally vertical sectional view. FIGURE 4 is aview generally similar to that of FIG- URE 3 but showing a modifiedconstruction.

Tub of the illustrated wa=sher-dryer (FIGURES l and 2) has the usualpair of closure plates 11, 12, disposed in rear portion 13 of a cabinet14, and in specific 'accord- ,ance with the invention, as best shown inFIGURE 3, the space between these plates is divided into a small lowerdrain chamber 15 and a larger surrounding and overlying air circulationchamber 16. For this purpose a cylindrical wall or partition 17 extendsbetween said plates 11 ice and 12 and is secured to suitably aperturedportions of said plates by flanges 18. The new lint screen 19 is aperr'orated disc, disposed in the rear portion of tub 10 and overlyingthe front end of drain chamber 15 or in other words overlying the openportion of the inner closure plate 12. The disc is shown as being ofconical shape with an apex pointing away from the rear of closure plates11, 12 and into tub 10.

As already indicated, the screen disc 19 can be reciprocatedhorizontally along its axis. In the illustrated [form of the inventionthe disc, disposed in the rear portion of tub 10, is normally biasedinto the tub, that is, toward the right as seen in FIGURES 2 and 3, by aspring 20, while being adapted to be forced to the left, in other wordsagainst plate 12, by a solenoid 21. For these purposes one end of spring20 is held by a bracket 22 rigidly mounted on the rear surface of theouter closure plate 11 while the other end of said spring abuts againsta shouldered washer 23 and thereby against an abutment and holder member24 in drain chamber 15, which member in turn has a central portionabutting against the rear end of a horizontal shaft 25. The front endportion of this shaft has lint screen 19 secured thereto and also has aroller wheel 26 secured thereto in front of the lint screen, this wheelbeing adapted in one position of the shaft to be engaged and rotated by'a circular flange or lip 27 on the vertical rear surface of the fabricsdrum 28 in tub 10. The drum is suitably supported in a bearing unit 29installed between the rear closure plates 11, 12; the drum is driven bya pulley 30 in the rear portion 13 of the cabinet.

ing support 32 is inserted into this chamber is closed by a liquid-tightflexible sheet 33, having a peripheral portion secured to plate 11 and acentral portion held by and between the washer and abutment members 23,24.

In order to provide for leftward axial motion of lint screen 19 anddrive wheel 26, against the force of spring 20, the screen actuatingshaft 25 has a washer 34, secured to a shouldered rear end of the shaftby a pin 35, while abutment and holder member 24 has jaws 36 adapted toengage the front surface of this washer and to move the washer, theshaft, the screen, and the drive wheel toward the left, urged by a cable37. This cable interconnects solenoid 21 with a fitting 38 on the rearend of washer 23. The cable is shown as being disposed in a flexiblecasing 39, one end of which is secured to the aforementioned bracket 22while the other end is secured to a bracket 40 on solenoid 21.

In operation the fabrics to be washed and dried are introduced into drum28 through a front door 41 of cabinet 14 (FIGURE 2). By means ofsuitable controls (not shown) a motor 42 is then start-ed (FIGURE 1) torotate pulley 30 and thereby drum 28- (FIGURE 2). By means of suitablevalve means (not shown) wash water is admitted into tub 10, filling thesame to a liquid level L which is maintained by a suitable controldevice (not shown) and which immerses more than one-half but less thanall of the lint screen. During or before this filling operation thescreen actuating solenoid 21 is deenergized by operation of theaforementioned controls, so that spring 20 is free to force shaft 25 tothe right, placing and holding screen 19 in the broken line position(FIGURE 3) wherein said screen is free to rotate. In this position drivewheel 26 engages lip '27 of the rotating drum 28. The lint screen isaccordingly rotated and the wash Water, which extends to theaforementioned approximate level L, is agitated thereby. Such rotationand agitation is desirably continued also during ensuing rinseoperations, provided by the aforementioned control means.

7 Pursuant to drainage of Water from tub 10, and when the control meansinitiates a high speed spinning operation of drum 28 for the extractionof water from the fabrics in this drum, rotation of screen 19 is nolonger useful (in the absence of the Washing and screen cleaning liquid)and no longer desirable (because of the high speed involved.) Solenoid21 is therefore energized at this time, thereby returning lint screen 19and drive wheel 26 to the full line position (FIGURE 3).

Shortly thereafter a drying operation is initiated by said controls,i.e. air blower and heater means (not shown) now maintain a circulationof hot air across the drum 28, which drum now again rotates slowly forthe drying of fabrics therein. Said circulation of air continues as acurrent passing through the apertures of lint screen 19 and into drainchamber 15, thus providing for the filtering or screening of lint.

The air then passes through outlet port means 43, provided in wall 17 ofthe drain chamber, into air circulation chamber '16 and therefrom,desirably, into the suction of said air blower. The air can berecirculated or can ultimately reach the ambient atmosphere, or anysuitable duct to the outside, through an aperture 44 in rear closureplate 11 (FIGURE 1). This air circulation and the attendant filtering oflint, at 19, are continued for a suitable period of time, chosen to drythe fabrics in drum 28 to a predetermined extent. Thereafter theoperating cycle of the machine can be terminated with respect to theload of fabrics which has been mentioned and lint screen solenoid 21 canthen be de-energized again.

Cleaning of the lint screen is achieved during the initial or washingphase of an ensuing cycle of operations, applied to a new load offabrics, wherein wash water is again provided in tub up to level L. Thelint screen solenoid remains deenergized so that the screen and itsdrive wheel are again in the broken line position (FIG- URE 3). Rotationof the screen with lint thereon and with agitation of the wash water hasbeen found to provide unusually thorough removal of the lint. Suchremoval is aided by the splashing of water as portions of the lintscreen emerge at water level L and are re-irn mersed therein.Additionally a pumping effect is provided by the conical shape of theimmersed, rotating screen portion, which causes the water to flowthrough the screen apertures in the direction from the concave to theconvex side of the screen disc, thereby contributing effectively to theclearing of the screen apertures.

The lint removed from the lint screen by these operations is mixed withthe used wash water in tub 10* and is removed with that water, incidentto the conventional draining of the machine at the end of the washingcycle and prior to the rinsing phase. For such drainage the tub 10 has adrain outlet sump 45 (FIGURE 2) this outlet being suitably drained andbeing connected also with a drain 46 of the air circulating chamber 16and drain chamber 15.

This latter drain 46 is shown as having a U-shaped or V-shaped portion,or water trap, 47 incorporated therein. Pursuant to a draining operationwhich removes most or all of the Water from chambers 10, 15, 16 and sump45, a small amount of water is automatically retained in this trap. Inthis way simple but effective provision has been made for drainage ofthe drain and air circulating chambers 15, 16 on the one hand and of tub10 on the other hand and against bypassing of screen 19 during the aircirculating operation. The water retained in trap 47 forces thecirculating air to pass through the lint screen, where the lint isintercepted; the trap thus prevents shortcircuiting of air through sump45 and pipe 46 to the air circulating space 16.

Referring finally to the modified construction of FIG- URE 4, an aircirculation space 50 is again shown as confined between front and rearplates 51, 52 and a lint screen 53 again overlies a suitable aperture inthe inner closure plate 52. Coaxially therewith an aperture is providedin the outer closure plate 51 which is closed by a flexible sheet 54.Drive wheel 55 and screen 53 are secured to shaft 57 which is slidablyand rotatably supported in bearing structure 58. In this modifiedconstruction the flexible closure means 54 or a suitable portionthereof, is resilient; the resilience thereof is used to bias shaft 57,screen 53, and drive wheel 55 toward the left, that is into lintscreening position, whereas a power means 59, here shown as a hydraulicactuator, is adapted to produce the axial movement of the unit into thebroken line or right hand position for rotation and cleaning of the lintscreen. Suitable valve means (not shown) are operated by the controlmeans of the machine to cause rightward motion of the free end of powermeans 59 as indicated by broken lines and thereby to initiate cleaningof the screen.

This modified embodiment is further shown as provided with linkage 60connecting the lint screen shaft 57 with the shaft 61 of a suds door 62in the aforementioned air circulation chamber 50, this door beingassociated with suitable partition structures so as to divide saidchamber 50 into separate portions 63, 64 which are respectively locatedupstream and downstream of the suds door in the direction of the aircirculation coming through and from the lint screen 53. Thus it will beseen that communication fronr 63 to 64- is open and substantiallyunobstructed when linkage '60 holds the suds 62 open while holding thelint screen 53 in stationary and screening position. At other times thelinkage 60 closes chamber 50 to the air circulation by holding suds door62 at or near the closing position thereof.

It is sufficient for this linkage to move the suds door to the vicinityof the seating surface for the same, as suggested by the broken line62a; the air circulation then establishes appreciable back pressureacross the suds door and tends to slam the same into fully closedposition 62B. This final or slamming motion is allowed, whileinterference with the lint screen drive wheel engagement 55, 56 .isprevented, by means of a small compression spring 65 suitably interposedbetween the suds door shaft 61 and the actuating portion of linkage 60.

While only two embodiments of the invention have been described, itshould be understood that the details thereof are not to be construed aslimitat-ive of the invention, except insofar as is consistent with thescope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. In apparatus for washing fabrics in a tub and for drying the washedfabrics in said tub, said tub being arranged for removably maintaining abody of Washing liquid therein for said washing:

means for circulating air into and from said tub to provide an aircurrent for said drying;

a screen constructed and arranged during said drying to intercept andscreen said air current, as the air current passes from said tub; and

means for moving said screen, during at least a portion of the time forsaid washing, in and through said liquid in order to clean the screen.

2. Apparatus as described in claim 1, also including a fabrics drum insaid tub, for said washing, and means adapted to be driven by said drumto effect said rotating of the screen.

6 rounding said aperture, in such a way that said drive means can nolonger effect said rotating of the plate and that the perforated platethen filters said air current.

4. Apparatus as described in claim 3 wherein said plate is substantiallyconical in order to force fluid through the perforations of the platewhen the plate is rotated.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS305,818 Hoffirnann Sept. 30, 1884 2,287,628 McMahan June 23, 19422,509,300 'Herrdrickson May 30, 1950 2,621,505 Smith Dec. 16, 1952

1. IN APPARATUS FOR WASHING FABRICS IN A TUB AND FOR DRYING THE WASHEDFABRICS IN SAID TUB BEING ARRANGED FOR REMOVABLY MAINTAINING A BODY OFWASHING LIQUID THEREIN FOR SAID WASHING: MEANS FOR CIRCULATING AIR INTOAND FROM SAID TUB TO PROVIDE AN AIR CURRENT FOR SAID DRYING; A SCREENCONSTRUCTED AND ARRANGED DURING SAID DRYING TO INTERCEPT AND SCREEN SAIDAIR CURRRENT, AS THE AIR CURRENT PASSES FROM SAID TUB; AND MEANS FORMOVING SAID SCREEN, DURING AT LEAST A PORTION OF THE TIME FOR SAIDWASHING, IN AND THROUGH SAID LIQUID IN ORDER TO CLEAN THE SCREEN.